Getting ready for first bottling day.

[Redwulf]

Taken another Hydrometer reading after leaving it in the Airing cupboard for 5-6 hours last night which brought the temp up to 24° c and it still sat stubbornly at 1.016.

So I sanitised my big spoon and give it a good stir, hopefully that will wake it up! Not

I might be asking how long a piece of string is, but how long should it take the yeast to move the hydrometer from 1.016 to 1.010? I was figuring to check it again on Sunday which will be 3 more days and 16 in total.

In the meantime I've got a Raspberry Berlinner kit and an empty FV to play with.

 

[cushyno]

Depending on the yeast and conditions it could take another week, or even more. If it's sitting at 1.016 you should not expect it to budge over night if it has previously stalled.

Patience is needed! I agree, leave it alone until Sunday and check again. You've roused it, upped the temperature and given time by then. If it hasn't budged from 1.016 by then, bottle it. Even if it only moves to 1.015 wait longer it may just be slow but you'll know the yeast to still be active. If yeast is still active you shouldn't bottle until it has stopped.

 

[terrym]

Taken another Hydrometer reading after leaving it in the Airing cupboard for 5-6 hours last night which brought the temp up to 24° c and it still sat stubbornly at 1.016.

So I sanitised my big spoon and give it a good stir, hopefully that will wake it up! Not

I might be asking how long a piece of string is, but how long should it take the yeast to move the hydrometer from 1.016 to 1.010? I was figuring to check it again on Sunday which will be 3 more days and 16 in total.

In the meantime I've got a Raspberry Berlinner kit and an empty FV to play with.

There is something called a stuck fermentation which you might have heard of. In short the yeast gives up before it should have. Sometimes you can get the fermentation going again, sometimes not but the lower the SG the less likely. One of the causes of stuck fermentations is insufficient yeast at pitching, and if your kit is 23 litres and it only came with 6g yeast as you have said, that is, or at least used to be, a recognised problem with some kits.
More on stuck fermentations here
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...s-for-dealing-with-stuck-fermentations.74910/I would give it three more days then take another reading and if its still 1.016 its likely stuck, but if its still creeping down leave it another two days take a reading and carry on like that until its bottomed out.
However if it stays at 1.016 I would say it is more unlikely than likely to get it going again but you never can tell.
If you decide to have a go at restarting I would give it three or four days and if it is still stuck after trying, its ready to bottle. I personally would not bother with more yeast though
But whether you have a go or not at 1.016 put some beer into a PET bottle at bottling time to monitor the pressure. If it goes rock hard during the carbing stage or thereafter, the primary has restarted and you may have overpressurised bottles which in extreme can be hazardous.

 

[Redwulf]

Thanks, thats a good read.

The kit is a 19l Northern Brewer Block Party Amber Ale and a bit of research suggests the provided yeast might not be up to the job.

I can't find an FG anywhere in the instructions but I've plugged the recipe into Brewers friend and its come out as expecting an FG of 1.010 and it tastes very watery so its definately not ready. Sadly the provided FV is not airtight so I can't see any activity in the airlock.

I've warmed it up to the top end of the Yeast's range and given it a good stir so that might get it going. Failing that I've got some a bit of ale yeast from Wilko's that I picked up just in case.

 

[The Cat]

Just took a reading after a week of my first batch. Bubbles seem to have stopped today and it is reading 1.012 - instructions say it is ready to bottle it under 1.014 but I am going to leave it now until Monday and take another reading then.

Sample tasted good though - very strong taste!

 

[Redwulf]

I've retested my first batch this morning and its still stuck at 1.016 and it should be around 1.010. It has been in the FV 16 days or so and has been reading 1.016 since last Wednesday

I've done a couple of things to try and get it going again.

1. Gave it 12 hours in a warmer location, temp changed from 22 to 25 degrees c.
2. Gave it a good stir with a sanitised spoon on Friday morning

Its probably worth noting that it tastes less watery then it did before, So I'm not sure if its "done" or I should try and get it going again. Its currently at about 3.5% so its almost a passable session beer.

I have a spare packet of 11g Gervin Ale yeast to hand, not sure if I can pitch this dry or should I make up starter solution of sugar, water and some of the stalled beer today and pitch tomorrow.

Any advice is more then welcome.

 

[afur]

Thanks, thats a good read.

The kit is a 19l Northern Brewer Block Party Amber Ale and a bit of research suggests the provided yeast might not be up to the job.

I can't find an FG anywhere in the instructions but I've plugged the recipe into Brewers friend and its come out as expecting an FG of 1.010 and it tastes very watery so its definately not ready. Sadly the provided FV is not airtight so I can't see any activity in the airlock.

I've warmed it up to the top end of the Yeast's range and given it a good stir so that might get it going. Failing that I've got some a bit of ale yeast from Wilko's that I picked up just in case.

How did this one turn out. I have just bought that kit and will be starting it next week.

 

[Galena]

When you say "A good stir" it is recommended to be a gentle stir or gentle swirl so as not to introduce oxygen, maybe you know that though.

 

[Redwulf]

How did this one turn out. I have just bought that kit and will be starting it next week.

I'll caveat this by saying it was a first attempt, the kit was at the end of its date life and I struggled to get it to ferment properly and I was probably a bit impatient when it came to drinking it. Its the only extract I've done and I doubt I'll rush to do another.

It was okay, I don't think it knew what it was supposed to be. It was somewhere in the middle of been an IPA, a Bitter and a Porter. Looked a bit like coke, drank easily enough but lacked thing special. I think if I did it again (and I probably won't) I definately give it 2 weeks to carb and 2-3 weeks to condition.